2026 PSU vs. Minnesota

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General Pre-Game Information

• Game Ten of 2026 season—This is the next to last home game on Penn State’s Big Ten schedule. PSU has only played Minnesota as a member of the Big Ten since the 1993 season when the Governors’ Victory Bell Trophy was first contested. This is the 18th Governors’ Victory Bell game and first since 2024. The Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0, 0-0) are coming off their home date with UCLA.

• Last PSU Game played (Sat., Nov. 7): Penn State X Washington X at Husky Stadium

• Current Rankings: AP Poll-TBA / US LBM Coaches Poll-TBA

• Minnesota 2025 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-4 in Big Ten (0-5 on road)—Head Coach: PJ Fleck (10th season)—Fleck (2017-present) is 1-2 vs. Penn State (0-1 at Beaver Stadium) with the Golden Gophers.

• 18th meeting with Minnesota all-time (9th at Beaver Stadum): Penn State is 11-6 all-time vs. Minnesota (6-2 at home/5-4 away)—The series dates to the 1993 season opening PSU 38-20 win at Beaver Stadium which marked the Nittany Lions official Big Ten conference game debut (Note: Penn State had in fact been an official Big Ten member when it lost 24-3 to Stanford in the Jan. 1, 1993 Blockbuster Bowl). Penn State has won 7 of their last 9 meetings (2 in a row) since 2005 with 2 of those victories coming in overtime (2006 & 2016). Minnesota’s last win in this series was in 2019 in Minneapolis (PS lost 31-26 at then TCF Bank Stadium) in coach PJ Fleck’s first game against the Nittany Lions.

• Last Penn State Game vs. Minnesota (2024 in Minneapolis): #4 PSU who was favored by nearly 2 touchdowns wins narrowly, 26-25 over unranked Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium. Drew Allar QB passed for 244 yards (21 of 28) and 1 TD on a 45-yard bomb in the 2nd quarter to a wide-open Omari Evans. Penn State’s defense delivered 9 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 INT while holding Minnesota to only 2 field goals in the second half. But this game hinged on special teams, and it was an up and down day in this department for the Nittany Lions. Penn State special teams were hurt by a partially blocked punt that led to a Minnesota TD, and by a blocked kick on an extra point attempt that resulted in 2 points for Minnesota. Luckily, the Lions delivered a memorable fake punt in the fourth quarter that, combined with the offense converting two other 4th and 1’s, consumed the game clock, burned the Gophers’ timeouts, and locked down the 1-point victory on a Saturday that had been riddled with upsets on a national scale. The key play in the greatest “scoreless” drive in PSU history comes on 4th and 1 at the State 34. Penn State sends on the punt unit. But Nittany Lion coaches had greenlighted center protector Dom Rulli (Redshirt-Soph. walk-on) to change to the fake punt if Minnesota stacked 10 in the box at the line. Rulli sees what he needs to see and signals the fake. True Freshman tight end Luke Reynolds, the right-side protector, who had been the victim of the earlier blocked punt, gets redemption. He takes the direct snap and bolts left behind the blocking of True Freshman lineman Cooper Cousins and Rulli for a 32-yard dash to the Minnesota 34. Allar, Nick Singleton, and Tyler Warren do the rest as Penn State improves to 10-1 and completes its first 5-0 road season slate since 1994.

• Last PSU Game vs. Minnesota at Beaver Stadium (2022): PSU won 45-17 in the first ever Homecoming Whiteout game (featuring Generations of Greatness throwback uniforms/helmets).

• Memorable PSU moment from the 2016 Minnesota game at Beaver Stadium: PSU won 29-26 in OT in game that turned around the season and set stage for run to Big Ten Championship.

• 1st Xpm ET kick for PSU in 2026 season.

  TV/Radio Information

• TV Game Announcers: TBA

• First game televised on X since

• This is the xx game this season to be televised on a traditional or non-traditional TV Network

• Penn State Radio Network Announcers: Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst), & Brian Tripp (Sidelines). Jones & Ham are in their 27th season in the booth together. Ham, a member of both the CHOF (1990) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988), played linebacker at Penn State (1968-70). Jones (Class of 1980) & Tripp (Class of 2011) are also Penn State grads.